Saturday, March 30, 2013

The Clockwork Princess by Cassandar Clare ~ Review

Source:  Purchased audio book

Book Description:

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy

Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy?
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.
A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.




 Spoiler free for Clockwork Princess but not Clockwork Prince

My Thoughts:




5 stars - So emotional but so brilliant, I'd give this one more than 5 stars if I could.

Let me start with the narrator, Daniel Sharman.  His performance of this book was brilliant.  I loved his voices and could listen to him read to me for hours.  Truly, his efforts added to the book.

Never have I read a series that included a love triangle that was quite like this.  Every love triangle has it's teams and I have always seen a clear choice.  It seemed there was always the one that I felt would be the chosen one.  I'm normally always right.  But Will and Jem are different.  They love each other as much as they love Tessa.  Their bond makes this triangle so different.  At the end of Clockwork Prince, I was totally destroyed when Will willingly stepped aside to allow Tessa and Jem to be together.  I'm team Will.  He is so broken and Tess makes him whole but so does Jem.  I didn't get that at the end of Clockwork Prince but I do now.  I also became Team Will/Jem.  How can anyone choose between them?  They are two halves of one whole that loves Tessa.  All I can say about how things turned out is - BRILLIANT.

This book had me in tears from the beginning to the end.  I couldn't read it straight through, though I was desperate to know the end.  I needed the breaks to control my emotions.  Books don't do that to me very often.  Sure I cry sometimes but not like this.  I mean it.  Tears rolling down my cheeks, a sobbing mess.  Twitter friends helped, assuring me to keep going.  That's what I would say to anyone else working up the courage to read this one.  Keep reading.  Keep reading.  The middle half is hard.  The resolution is brilliant.  I loved it. 

I want to sit down and read the whole series front to back and enjoy every incredible minute of it.  This series combined with The Mortal Instruments is a work of art.  Crafted and plotted with perfection.  It's complex, intricate and beautiful.  Art. 

I love how this book resolved the infernal devices aspect but didn't end there.  There was more to resolve.  There was Will and Jem.  There were other wonderful relationships to figure out.  There was a connection to The Mortal Instruments to be made.  I'm impatiently for the actual book to actually arrive (I won a pre-order but TBD ships slow boat) so I can go over the family tree.  I know them now but I want to see it. 

I loved getting to know Magnus more.  His character is explained so much in this book/series.  I found myself wanting to re-read The Mortal Instruments just so I could see him again.  Remember what happens to him later.

Some of my favorite books are urban fantasy.  I love the fantasy hiding in the normal.  Cassandra Clare sets the highest standard for the best kind of urban fantasy.  If you haven't started any of her books, start here with The Infernal Devices series.  BUT have them all available because you will want to keep reading once you start.




6 comments:

  1. I absolutely agree with you with the love triangle. It is, hands down, the best love triangle, ever. Going in to Clockwork Princess, I was (and still am) Team Jem though never disliked Will. But the relationships between all three of them is just something so beautiful. It kind of makes me jealous, actually. No matter if you can't come to be Team Jem/Will in the end you have to appreciate that I don't think any of these characters would've been whole without each other. The entire book was brilliant.

    Magnus, I loved...but that doesn't surprise me. His relationship with Henry and man, the brains behind that man (both of them, really) is just...awesome.

    I was not excited about the final TMI book because I'm kind of over that series (doesn't help I'm not a fan of Jace or Clary lol) but that has all changed now. I cannot wait.

    Excellent review. This book is just so...emotional in so many ways! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes!! You could not have said it more perfectly. This is a love triangle that I was totally torn on. I didn't have a favorite. I was team both as ridiculous as that seems. I thought how Cassandra Clare handled it and resolved everything in the end was fabulous!! And OMG that epilogue was brilliant and perfect!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I can't believe I haven't read this yet! I love the series so much, but I don't know if I'm ready for the heartbreak. I'm so happy that everyone seems to be extremely happy with the way the story wrapped up. And I love Magnus, so I can't wait to get more of him!
    Great review, pal!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I listened to the audio as well, and there is no other word for Daniel Sharman's narration other than brilliant. I'm completely with you in that I could listen (and have) to scenes over and over again because he IS Will, and he IS Jem. I've cried from books before, but I've never been such a sobbing mess as I was for the epilogue. What an ending. My heart aches and is filled all at the same time. Cassandra Clare is like no other, and I love The Infernal Devices with all of my heart.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I haven't read this series yet. Maybe someday.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love everything about your review. Even though I'm partial to Jem, I can see Will's appeal and totally felt for him too. It took me a minute to wrap my head around what Cassie did with them and Tessa, but in the end, I was highly satisfied and loved this book from beginning to end. Truly one of my all-time faves! Great review!

    Vivian
    Confessions of a Vi3tBabe
    Deity Island

    ReplyDelete